Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “kaleidoscope” come from?

Kaleidoscope comes from Ancient Greek καλός, which derives from Ancient Greek καλϝός, itself from Proto-Indo-European kal-wo-s, ultimately rooted in Proto-Indo-European kal-.

kaleidoscope (English): A tube of mirrors containing loose coloured beads...

Definitions

  1. A tube of mirrors containing loose coloured beads...

Ancestry of “kaleidoscope”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient GreekεἶδοςThat which is seen: form, image, shape;...
2Spanish-scopio-scope
3Latin-scopium—
4Ancient GreekσκοπέωI look, look at, behold; I examine, inspect; 413...
5Ancient Greekσκοπόςwatcher, lookout; protector, guardian; spy, scout
6Ancient GreekσκέπτομαιI look at, examine; I examine, consider, think
7Proto-Hellenicsképťomaito look at
8Proto-Indo-Europeanspéḱyetito be looking at, to keep looking at
9Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

Words derived from “kaleidoscope”

  • kaleidoscopic
  • kaleidoscopically
  • kaleidoscopelike
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →